Paiko — Local services in Honolulu

I love this little flower boutique. It's a great idea in business to share space so that several small businesses can thrive. Paiko may be more expensive than the run of the mill florist, but I think the service and specialty warrants it in this case. To the best of my knowledge I'm told they source most of their flowers, if not all, from the Hawaiian islands- so they are local. And they will go out of their way to help you. They will also be honest with you. I wanted a particular leaf for my wedding cake and the staff told me where to find it in the wild if I wanted to forage instead of paying them $3 a stem. I appreciated that. They also went out of their way to find me a particular flower I wanted for my wedding (mink protea) and they delivered! These guys have fun workshops- I did one of the Haku ones. And they have neat artisan supplies for planting. I may not always buy my flower from here, but when I do I am always pleased with my purchase. Plus where else can you get a brew (coffee) and a bouquet for $15? Now that is an...

In essence, Paiko is a florist selling ridiculously overpriced plants to people who know nothing about plants. They sell succulents, hardy potted plants, and cut flowers in cute ceramic pots. Most of their plants are supplied by other nurseries on-island, and you can find the same succulents at Lowe's, Times, or the local nurseries that supply Paiko for less than a quarter of the price. The ceramic pots are very nice, as few are mass-produced and many are unique, having been made by local artisans. You can either make your own arrangement or discuss flower arrangements with staff and order for events.

Price aside, the establishment is clean and the staff are attentive and helpful. If you know nothing about plants and are willing to trade money for expertise and experience, this may be worth your while. If you are willing to spend a little extra time looking on the internet for local nurseries who can provide you the same plants and similar pots for a quarter of the cost,...

Cute, cool millenial vibe. A lot of great ideas and some pretty high-quality products for small spaces. Tasteful, appropriate for a sunny corner office as well as home. Excellent books on how to grow and sustain food and plants, especially if you're living in a small condo around here in Kaka'ako. Pretty good selection of air plants and resources for them. The very nice folks at the shop will help you get whatever it is you need, if it's not in stock already. Definitely a giftable kind of place.

Four stars for the carefully curated products, beautiful displays, and excellent plant eye candy. Down a star for some overly high prices. I don't mind paying for quality, but I do balk a bit at spending $35 for a 4" square, plain ceramic cube planter.

Accepts credit cards.

2-hour max metered parking out front, about $0.25 for 20 minutes. 1-hour free validated parking in the Salt parking structure; several bucks per 30...